Many scientists can relate to the tediousness of traditional nucleic acid analysis. After pouring hot agarose into a well-used casting tray, they must cross their fingers and hope that it does not leak and that they chose the right gel concentration to produce clean, accurate bands. After the gel is run and imaged, they often need to rely on a different technique to check nucleic acid yield and quality, such as UV spectrophotometry. Microchip electrophoresis systems such as Shimadzu's MultiNA II MCE-301 simplify this process, delivering robust data at the touch of a button and allowing scientists to leave the agarose behind.
Modern science demands more sensitive nucleic acid detection and a wider range of analysis options, particularly for next-generation sequencing, genome editing, genotyping, and RNA workflows. The MultiNA II is designed for laboratories that need high performance from their nucleic acid analysis, combining speed and accuracy while keeping costs and energy consumption low.
Running samples on the automated platform takes just three steps: sample registration, sample and reagent setup, and analysis. After loading the removable sample tray and registering the samples, the instrument does the rest, including dispensing, diluting, processing, and rinsing the microchip. With less manual handling, researcher-introduced variability is reduced and scientists are free to focus on more demanding tasks.
The system is fast and high throughput, analyzing up to 120 samples per batch at 98 seconds per sample, or a full 96-well plate in 165 minutes. Scientists can also pause their runs to add more samples as they become available. The runs require only small sample amounts, and high-sensitivity reagent kits allow for sample detection down to 5 pg/μl.
The MultiNA II comes with built-in software for data acquisition and assessment that is intuitive and easy to use, providing results that researchers can be confident in. During analysis, the samples are not locked into the order in which they were added to the machine. Instead, users can rearrange the gel images to simplify data comparisons. In addition to high-quality gel images, results are displayed within a comprehensive table that organizes important information such as size predictions and concentrations. Furthermore, the software supports RNA Integrity Index (RII) calculations to assess RNA degradation, automated molar concentration ratio calculations to help with library preparation, DNA smear calculations, and DNA fingerprinting analyses.
Thanks in part to the reusable microchips, the instrument’s operating costs are similar to those of traditional gel electrophoresis. However, the system delivers high-quality data through a simplified process where routinely used workflows can be saved for quick access. Its compact footprint also fits easily into small spaces, allowing the MultiNA II to be a versatile instrument for various types of laboratories, handling everything from simple gel runs to next-generation workflows.